Coffee maker



June 7, 1960 R. D. coLANGl-:LO 2,939,382

COFFEE MAKER Filed Deo. as, 1957 WMM/@ United States Patent COFFEE MAKER Ralph D. Colangelo, 37-35 90th St., Jackson Heights, N.Y.

Filed Dec. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 704,777

8 Claims. (Cl. 99--299) This invention relates to coffee makers and particularly to coffee makers of the drip type.

In practically all known coffee makers now in use and on the market, the coffee maker is adapted to brew a certain maximum amount of coffee, either two cups, four cups, eightvcups, etc. However, it is often desired by the user to make less than the maximum amount of coffee and this commercial coffee makers do not do satisfactorily. This is particularly true of the drip type coffee maker. As is well known, a drip type coffee maker comprises a lower receptacle or container which is adapted to contain brewed codec, a middle or central container which is adapted to contain coffee grounds, and an upper container which is adapted to receive hot water. The bottom of the upper container and the bottom of the middle container are both provided with a plurality of small apertures through which the water may drip. Accordingly, with coffee grounds disposed in the central container, when water is introduced into the upper container it drips through the apertures in the bottom of Dthe 'upper container into the central container where it comes 'into intimate Contact with the coffee grounds and extracts the coffee flavor therefrom. The water continuesto seep throughthe coffee grounds and then finally out through the bottom of the central container into 'the bottom "container where itis collected for subsequent consumption. As Va modification, the central container 'can be eliminated and the colfeegrounds can be placed in the bottom of vthe upper container. The ,operation is ,substantially the same. 'Wirth such a coffee maker, the rate of ow `of the water 'through the conce grounds and intoY the collecting bottom container is predetermined by the size of the apertures inthe bottoms of the middle and upper contrainers. Accordingly, the water remains in contact with .the colfeegrounds a predetermined time dependent solely onnthe amount of water introduced into the upper con- Atainer of the' coffee maker. If the coffee ,markerV is .adapted to make, for instance, eight cups'Y of eoiee, when it is desired to make 011115' four CUPS `of coiee in the container, the water v n'll Lremain in intimate or brewing relaiOuwith the coffee grounds a Substantially shorter period of timeQthereby reducing the time during which the water Vcan extract the flavor from the coffee grounds. This IfSultS in `a substantially weaker brewed coffee which is clearly undesirable. While the user may ,attempt to compensate for this shortcoming -by using aldisproportionately large amount of coffee grounds, the compensation Yis at best extremely `empirical and rarely yields coffee of the desired strength and flavor. The described phenomenon is well known to all persons familiar with coffee making.

In accordance with the present invention, one object thereof is to provide a new and improved coffee maker having means for controlling the ,time that water remains' in .brewing relation with the coffee grounds whereby to control the strength of the brewed coice.

Another object of the prent invention is the'provision of a new and improved coffee maker having valve means for permitting and preventing the flow of coffee out of brewing relation with the coffee grounds and into a collecting container.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a drip type coffee maker having valve means for regulating the time in which water is kept in brewing relation with the coffee grounds.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of aV drip type coffee maker having valve means for controlling the time in which water remains in brewing relation with coffee grounds before passing into a collecting chamber, said valve means being operated by the relative rotation between the upper container of the colee maker and the lower container thereof.

The above and other objects, characteristics and features of construction of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a coffee maker embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 'is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a coffee-maker embodying the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. This coffee maker comprises a lower container 12, an upper container 14 and a removable top 116. The containers 12 and 14 and top 16 may be made out of any suitable material such as, for instance, metal, glass and ceramic or combinations thereof.

Lower container 12 includes a bottom 18 and a substantially cylindrical peripheral side wall 20. Side wall 20 is provided with an opening 22 which connects the inside 24 of'bottom container 12 to a spout 26. Moreover, connected to peripheral side wall 20 of bottom container l2 is a handle 28 which is made of any suitable thermal insulating materialsuch as, for instance, plastic or wood, to facilitate gripping and handling of the coffee maker 10. Upper container 14 is vprovided with an imperforate bottoni 30 which is preferably integrally formed with an upstanding substantially cylindrical side wall 32. Cylindrical side wall 32 is divided into a llower portion 34 and an upper portion .-36 vof slightly larger diameter, a Ahorizontal shoulder 38 connecting lfthe portions 34 and ,356. As shown and as is now prefer-red, the outer diameter of upper `portion 36 of side wall'32 is the same as the outer diameter of side wall 26, although this is not necessary to .this invention. Connected to the upper portion 3 6 of side wall 32 is a suitable handle 4 0 of any suitable thermal Ainsulating material. u

The top 16 is preferably provided with a horizontally ,extending portion 42 having a depending skirt 44 which fits over the outside of the upper portion 36 of peripheral side wall 32. Connected to the horizontal portion 42 of top 16 is a suitable vknob 45 made of any vdesirable thermal insulating material .to facilitate handling thereof.

MIn accordance with Ythe vpresent invention, a plurality vo f bosses 46 are fixed to the upper portion of peripheral Aside Vwall 20 of lower container 12. As shown herein, Vthese bosses are substantially rectanglar in conguration and extend outwardly from the peripheral side wall to `define therebetween. ,a lplurality of passages 48. The

bosses 46 may be separate pieces which Yhave been soldered, welded, riveted, cemented or otherwise fixed to wall 20, 0r they may be integrally .formedwith the AWall- The distance between the Surfaces Q f any tw@ cenfrontins bosges 46 substantiallyy the 'same as the outer diameter I portion,34. -This iit is suiciently tight-to effect a liquid seal therebetween but stillp'ermits the --rotation of the top container I4 relative to the bottom container 12. VLower portion 34 of peripheral` side wall 32 is provided with a plurality of rectangular perforated areas 50, each of said areas being -made rup of a plurality of openings SZwhich are lproportioned to be as large as 'possible without exceeding the diameter of Ythe coffee grounds. VSpaced in between each ofthe perforated VareasStl are imperforate or solid areas 54. The circumferential dimensin of the imperforated areas 54 and the perforated areas 50 may be substantially the Vsame although it is presently preferred to have the imperforated areas 'slightly larger in said dimension 'than the perforated areas. AFixed to the lower portionY 34 of peripheral side wall 32 isa stop S6 lwhich is disposed within one of the passages 48 and which isof a radial dimension or thickness that is slightly smaller than the thickness of the bosses 46.

' In operation, the lower portion 340i upper container by moving -it into the lower chamber 24 Vuntil vshoulder 38 bears against the upper edge of peripheral side wall 2 0 Vand the upper edges of the bosses 46. YThis rotatably disposes the upper container inthe lower container; A stopV is at this `time disposed in one of the passages 48. The cover 16 is removed andcoffee grounds are poured into upper container 14, Vthe amount'ofV colee 'taine'ig the handle 40.is disposed out of alignment ,with

. V'thehandle 28 so as 'toiindicate` that the coffeemaker is i -in condition for holding water in Ybrewing'relation Vwith `the coffee grounds.` .'Water is then poured through the top 'ofupper container 14 to thereby cause it' to mingle in brewing Yrelation with the coifee grounds previously pot of coffee, this can be satisfactorily done with an appropriately reduced .amount of colee and water. The

amount of time during which the water is held in brewing relation with the coffee grounds can be readily determined and such instructions can be imparted to a purchaser at the time of the purchase. Moreover, the amounts of colfee grounds and water necessary to make varying amounts of brewed coifee can also -be easily worked out and suitable -indicia can be etched or embossed or otherwise applied to the peripheral side wall 32 of Aupper container 14 to indicate to the user the exact amount of coffee grounds and water necessary for each number of'cups'whichfcan `be made in thecolee maker.

While the `coffee maker shown-and'described herein is of the type normally vfound inindividualV homes, the principlesdisclosed and described herein may readily be adapted for use in commercial type coifeejmakers found in restaurants, diners and so forth. YIn lieu of the standi 14 is partially disposed within the lower container 12 as 'is'rotate'd to the solid line position'shown in Fig. 2, in

flow.

ard cloth bag commonly used in standard commercial rcoffee makers; a relatively rotatable container built along the principles of container `14 n1ay.be substituted therefor. Moreover, in order to adapt conventional commercial colee makers now in use for application of the present invention, a suitable adaptor having pieces equivalent to bosses 5l)y may be constructed and fixed to the innerV wall of conventional colfee makers inV order to provide means for preventing the flowY of water out ofthe lupper container'and for subsequently permitting such It is =believed that with the description contained herein, anyone skilled in the art can readily work out such an adaptation. Accordingly, it will'be understood that the present invention is not limited to coffee makers for fhome use but is also suitable for commercial type coiee makers. Y

.While I Yhave herein shown and described oneV forni ofthe present invention and have suggested amodicationthe'reof, various other changes and-modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromthe spirit and scope of ,thepresent' invention. i Having now described my invention, what I'claimas new and desire tolsecure by Letters Patent is:A

Y 51; coifee maker, comprising Aa lower containerfor brewed coffee and an upper container for coiee grounds and hotr water, said lower container having a cylindrical 'vertically extending sidewall, said upper container yhavintroduced.V However, none 4of vthe-water can seep out Ythe handles 4 0 andZS and rotates the upper container 14 relative to the Vlower container 12 to aposition wherein the perforated areas move out from underlyingrelation-with the bossesA and into registry With the pas- Y Vof the upper container as V the perforated areas 50 are'Y sealed by the bosses 46 to thereby close thevalve means sages'48. Inthis position the stop 56 will engage anedge 'of another boss 46b.and the handle'40 will prefer- Y ablyV beinvertical alignment with the handle 28. V'In suchV a position the brewed coffee `is free to ow out through theopenings 52 in perforated areas V50 and down throughY the passages 48.into the chamber 24 of lower 'Y container 12. Since atY theV time that the valve means Vis opened the coffee is fully brewed, openings 52 can Ybesubstantially. larger than openings heretofore employed indrip potsto thereby permitV this ow Vto be relatively rapid when compared to the owsindrip coifee makers heretofore known. Accordingly, Veventhough there is a period during which there is no ow, the overall time for `brewing the oiee is substantially less Ythankthat hereto- 'foreexperie'nced 5 i Y With a ,coffee Ymaker ofthe type'desc'ribed, it will 'be Y Yobvious that-if Ya user'desires -t'o vmake less than a'full ingi a'cyh'ndrical vertically extending side wall the lower portion of which isY disposed within an upper portion of said side wall of said lower container for :rotatably mounting said upper container in said lower container, the outer surface of said lower portion'of said sidewall of said upper container being spaced from the inner sur'l face of'said upper portion of said sideY wall of Vsaid lower container, said lower Yportion off said sidewall of said upper containerbeing provided 4with an opening' adapted to permit brewedcoiee topass out' of said upperV container, andmeans V fixed relative to saidlower container for overlying said opening to prevent the passage of brewed Ycoee therethrough, rotation of said upper containerV relative to said lowercontainerbeing effective to move said opening o utof underlying relation with said last mentioned means to thereby permit brewed coffee to pass out of said upper containerY through said Yopening andinto s'aid lower container through the space between'the Yside walls of said upper and lower containers.

2. A Vcoffee maker, comprising a lowerV containerY for brewed coffee and an upper container for coffee grounds and hot water, said lower 'container havinga cylindrical vertically extending side wall, said upper container having a cylindrical vertically extending side wall the lower portion of which is disposed withinlan upper portion of said' side wallY of said lower container for .rotatably Y mounting said upper container in said lower container,

the outersurfacey of said lower portion of said sidewall `of said upper container 'being spaced from the inner surface of said upper portion of said side wall of said lower container, Ysaid lowerportion vof said'side wall of said upper'container being provided with a plurality of openings adapted to permit brewed coffee topass out of said upper container, and means fixed relative to said lower container for overlying said openings to prevent the passage of brewed coffee therethrough, rotation of said upper'co'ntainer relative to said `lower container being effective to move said openings out of underlying relation with said last mentioned means to thereby permit brewed coffee to pass out of said upper container through Vsaid openings and into said lower container through the space between the side walls of said upper and lower containers.

3. A coffee maker, comprising a lower container for `brewed coffee'and an upper container for coffee grounds and Yhot water, said lower container having a cylindrical vertically extending side wall, said upper container having a cylindrical vertically extending side wall the lower portion of which is disposed within an upper portion of said side wall Vof sa'id 'lower container for rotatably mounting said upper container in said lower container,

the outer surface of said lower portion of said side wall of said upper .container `being `'spaced from the inner surface of said upper vportion of said side wall of said lower container, said lower Aportion of said side wall of said' upper container being provided with a perforated area adapted to permit brewed coffee to pass out of said' upper container, and vmeans fixed relative to said lower container for overlying said perforated area to prevent the passage of brewed'co'ee therethrough, a rotation of said upper container relative to said lower container being effective `to move said perforated area out of underlying relation with said last mentioned means to thereby permit brewed coffee to pass out of said upper container through said perforated area and into said lower container through the space between the side walls of said upper and lower containers.

4. A coffee maker, comprising a lower container for brewed coffee and an upper container for coffee grounds and hot water, said lower container having a cylindrical vertically extending side wall, said upper container having a cylindrical vertically extending side wall the lower portion of which is disposed within an upper portion of said side wall of said lower container for rotatably mounting said upper container in said lower container, the outer surface of said lower portion of said side wall of said upper container being spaced from .the inner surface of said upper portion of said side wall of said lower container, said lower portion of said side wall of said upper container being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforated yareas adapted to permit brewed coffee to pass out of said upper container,

Y a like plurality of circumferentially spaced means, one

for each of said perforated areas, fixed to said lower side wall and adapted to simultaneously overlie said perforated areas to prevent the passage of brewed coffee out of said upper container, rotation of said upper container relative to said lower container being effective to move said perforated areas out of underlying relation with said last mentioned plurality of means to thereby permit brewed coffee to pass out of said upper container through said perforated areas and into said lower container through the space between the side walls of said upper and lower containers.

5. A coiee maker, comprising a lower container for brewed coffee and an upper container for coffee grounds and hot water, a lower portion of said upper container being disposed within an upper portion of said lower container for rotatably mounting said upper container in said lower container, and valve means for controlling the flow of brewed coffee out of said upper container and into said lower container, said valve means being opened and closed by the rotation of said upper container relative to said upper side wall Abeing provided with a like plurality of similarly' circumferentially spaced perforated areas, said perforated areas and said bosses being proportioned so that said bosses can at times completely overlie said perforated areas to thereby prevent brewed coffee from passing outY of said upper container, rotation of said upper container yrelative to said lower container being effectivey to move 4said perforated areas out .of underlying relationY with said bosses and into registry with Ysaid pas'- sages to permit brewed coffee' to flow out of said upper container and throughlsaid passages into said lower 'container. l

6. A vcoffee maker, comprising a lower container for brewed coffee and lan upper container for coffee grounds andhot' water, a lower portion of said upper container being 'disposed within an upperportion of said lower container for rotatably mounting said upper container in said lower container, -and' valve means for controlling the fiow'of brewed Mcoffee out of said upper container and"into said-lower .containensaid valve means being opened and closed 'by the rotation of said upper container relative .ftosaidlower container, said lower container includinga bottom', a cylindricalside wall extending up- Iwardlyutherefrom, and a'plurality of cireumferentially spaced rectangular plates fixed to an upper portion of said side wall and extending inwardly therefrom, whereby to define passages therebetween, said upper container including an imperforate bottom and a cylindrical side wall extending upwardly from said bottom, a lower portion of said side wall of said upper container being in relatively tight sliding relation with said rectangular plates, said upper container being rotatable relative to said lower container, said lower portion of said upper side wall being provided with a like plurality of similarly circumferentially spaced perforated areas, said perforated areas and said rectangular plates being proportioned so that said rectangular plates can at times completely overlie said perforated areas to thereby prevent brewed' coffee from passing out of said upper container, rotation of' said upper container relative to said lower container being effective to move said perforated areas out of underlying relation with said rectangular plates and into registry with said passages to permit brewed coffee to ow out-of said upper container and through said passages into said lower container. Y

7. A coffee maker, comprising a lower container for brewed coffee and an upper container for coffee grounds and hot water, a lower portion of said upper container being-disposed within an upper portion of said lower container for rotatably mounting said upper container in said lower container, and valve means for controlling the flow of brewed coffee out of said upper container and wall of said upper container being in relatively tight slidg ing relation with said rectangular plates, said upper con- /tainerbeing rotatable relative tosaid lower container, said Ylower portion of said upper side wall being p rovided with La like. .plurality of similarly bircu'rnfer'entially; spaced T perforatedfareas; said Aperforated areas and :,said rectangular plates being proportioned so that'saidrrectangular plates can at times c'ompletelyoverlie saidlperforated areas to'thereby prevent brewed coffee from passing out Yof said upper container, rotationtof said upper container Vre'lative'ltotsaid lower container'being eiective to move said perforated areas out of underlying relation with saidV rectangular platesY and into registry with saidrpassages 'Y to4 permit brewed coiee to flow outV vof said upper Ycontainer and through said passages into said lower container,

-and stop means for selectively positioning said perforated vareas in underlying relationwith saidfplates and in Vvregistry with said passages.` K v l .8. A coffee maker, comprlsingl alower containerV for vbr'ewedcolee and anrupper containerA for coieegrounds fand hotwater, a lower portion of said upperV container being disposed'within an upper portionofrsaid lower :container for rotatably mounting said uppercontainer inf -said lower container, and valve meapsfo'r controlling the Y Vilowof brewed coiee out of said upper containerand e into said lowercontainer, saidvalvemeans being opened and closed by the rotation of said upper `container relative :to said` lower container, saidlowei` containerincluding a '7 bottoni, a cylindricalside `wall extending upwardly there-Y fromyand aplurality of circumferentially spacedrrrectangular Vplates fixed, to an upperY portion of` said 's'ide Vwall and extending inwardly therefrom, .whereby to defne passages therebetween, saidupper container including animperforate bottom and a cylindrical'side walLextending upwardlyfrorh said bottom, a lower portion of said nside wall of said upper container being inrelatively tight Ysliding relation with Asaid rectangularplates, saidupper container being rotatable relative'to said lower container, said lower portion of said upper side wall being provided vwitha like pluralityY of 'similarly circumferentially spaced yperfoateclfareas, said perforated areas andsaid rectangular plates being proportioned so v,that said rectangular plates'can at times completely'overliesaid perforatedvareas Vto thereby prevent brewed coifeefrom passing out ofsaid upper container, rotation .of said 'upper container relative to said lowerconta'mer being Yeffective to'move said perforated areas 'out ofunderly'ing relation with said rectangular plates and into registry with said passages to permit brewed coee to flow out of 'said upper container and through said passages intosaid lower container, anda stop fixed to saidlower portion of said upper side wall and disposed within one of said passages,

Vsaid stop engaging an edge of one of the plates deiin'ing jsaid one passage when said perforated areas underlie their respectively associatedV plates and engaging 'the ,confronting edgeof the otherplate `deningesaid passage when said perforated areasare in registry with said passages.

i Y Rerrences'citd in theier'ofrhis patent UNITED ySTATES PATEIrrs f 

